Unvaccinated NBA Players May Be Forced To Watch From Home

NBA teams in New York City and San Francisco will require that their players get vaccinated in order to keep compliance with their cities' mandates on vaccination for indoor activities. Players that have not yet been vaccinated on the New York Knicks, Nets or Golden State Warriors will not be allowed to participate in games or practices inside their arenas.

News of the COVID guideline, leading up to the season's start in October, was first reported by The Athletic's Shams Charania and follows a trail left by NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio's strict enforcement of vaccination in New York. Though hotly contested upon first announcement, the rigid ruling from Mayor de Blasio — nicknamed Key to NYC — has made it nearly impossible for New York citizens to dine in at a restaurant, or go a sporting event indoors, without proof of vaccination. San Francisco announced in August that their city-wide rules will also call for mandatory proof of vaccination to engage in indoor activities.

The rule now extend to players from the noted NBA home teams; however, the guideline will not apply to visiting players at Barclay or Oracle that are not yet vaccinated.

Charania also reported that the Association is enforcing a vaccination rule for all personnel related to the teams.

From the coaching staff to arena workers, the NBA's most prominent league-wide COVID ruling states: "Any NBA team or arena personnel, including workers whose role involves interactions with players, will be required to be fully vaccinated to have in-person interactions for the 2021-22 season."

More than 90 percent of NBA players have been vaccinated.

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